Innovative Real Estate with Three Squared, Inc.

Have you ever wondered why we have been building the same way for centuries? Or why the AEC industry is the hardest industry to enact change in? 

In this episode we sit down and talk about the history of building  and how we have gotten to where we are today...still mostly building with sticks and bricks like we have for hundreds of years. 

Breck gives a quick history of building, shares the implications cheap lumber has on the quality of houses, and how modular construction may be the answer to the housing crisis. 

Here's what you'll learn: 

• History of building with sticks and bricks
• Why lumber prices are so high 
• How the GI bill changed the building industry 
• What role does modular construction play in the future of housing
• Breck's project highlight of the week: David's Garage

Ready to move forward with your project? Contact us here and we will put you in contact with the right member of our team.

Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on new project releases, trainings, and more. 

Breaking into the real estate development industry was not an easy feat for Hawaiian power couple Tristyn and Kamohai Kalama. However,  through years of resilience and hard work they have established their impact and legacy in Hawaii's real estate market.
 And now they are expanding their legacy with the debut of their HGTV Show Renovation Aloha.

In this exciting episode we sit down with Tristyn and Kamohai to hear their story and experience as developers flipping Hawaiian homes.
 
They share why it's important to find mentorship in your market, the impact of having your mindset in check, and what it was like to film with HGTV. 

Tristyn and Kamohai also explain why showcasing the Hawaiian culture and people and being inspirations for other Hawaiian families is so important to them.

Here's glimpse of what you'll learn: 

• Who are Tristyn and Kamohai Kalama 
• What it is like navigating the permit process in Hawai'i
• Finding and maintaining balance in an industry that promotes hustle culture
• What it's like filming an HGTV show
• Tristyn and Kamohai Project Highlight of the week: The home with a tree growing in it. 

Make sure to follow along Tristyn and Kamohai on Instagram

Listen to Deals and Aloha here.

Watch Renovation Aloha on HGTV, Tuesdays at 9/8 central time

Link to show notes

Ready to move forward with your project? Contact us here and we will put you in contact with the right member of our team.

Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on new project releases, trainings, and more. 

The real estate development industry can be an overwhelming place...good thing there are experts like Jan Dijkers, whos' job is to help developers and builders alike to navigate the industry.

Jan is the Managing Broker and President of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, The Loft Warehouse, a Detroit based real estate and marketing company. 

In this episode Jan shares how she got her start in the real estate industry and her process with working with developers from start to finish to create the most efficient housing. She also shares her experience working with first time developers, analyzing building plans with a buyer mindset, and why working with her company could take your development to the next level.
 
Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn: 

• Who is Jan Dijkers and her role in the real estate industry
• How she helps developers find land and create efficient housing
• Why it's important to have girt as a developer
• Thinking twice about Land Bank land
• Project Highlight of the Week: Veterans Housing Prototype 

Head to Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, The Loft Warehouse to learn more about their services.

Subscribe to Jan's email list here: https://www.jandijkers.com/subscribe

Full Show Notes

Ready to move forward with your project? Contact us here and we will put you in contact with the right member of our team.

Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on new project releases, trainings, and more. 

As you know our Director of Design, Breck Crandell is building his own home - and it's NOT going to be built out of shipping containers.

His home using houm technologies is utilizing specialized styrofoam panels, a innovative building material created by Guardian Structural. 

In this episode we sit down with Guardian to explore their cutting edge building material and explore the future of innovative building options. The Guardian team explains what sets their panels apart from other SIPS, the scalability of their product, and how their materials provide big cost savings when it comes to heating and cooling. 

Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn: 

• Who is Guardian Structural
• What are the benefits of building with Guardian Panels
• Structural versatility and scalability 
• Who could benefit from building with this material
• How Guardian Structural meets Passive House certification

Show notes

To learn more about Guardian Structural and the work they are doing head to their website.  

Supplementary episodes:

Phius House with Kat Klingenberg

Reimaging Multifamily Housing with Susan King of HED

Part 3: Cochrane Home Update

Ready to move forward with your project? Contact us here and we will put you in contact with the right member of our team.

Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on new project releases, trainings, and more. 

If you've been following along for a while then you know our Director of Design, Breck Crandell is building his very own home here in the city of Detroit. 

The home he is building will be the proof of concept for houm, an innovative design approach that is revolutionizing the way we think about housing. 

In this episode Breck shares the latest updates on the Cochrane Home, including erecting "the shell" of the house as well as the core. He also shares the innovative way he is heating his house and why this is just the beginning for houm.

Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn: 

• Current project status of the Cochrane Home
• Design decision that will impact cost savings
• Importance of Breck building the proof of concept 
• Utilizing technology to stay one step ahead

Link to full show notes

Supplementary episodes:

Part: 1 Breck Building His Own Home

Part 2: Breck Designed His Own Home and Now He's Building It.

Follow houm on Instagram to following along with the construction of the Cochrane Home

Ready to move forward with your project? Contact us here and we will put you in contact with the right member of our team.

Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on new project releases, trainings, and more. 

No one wakes up one morning and decides they are a developer, rather it takes due diligence, dedication, and experience to fall into this profession. 

Something Fort Wayne based developer JT King is highly aware of. 

In this episode we sit down with JT to talk about his development project in collaboration with the municipality of Fort Wayne, IN.  A four home development that will showcase different building typologies in hopes to help solve the housing crisis.  JT also talks about what motivated him to become a developer, the importance of collaboration, and how he wants his developments to be an advocate for others. 

Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn: 

• Who is JT King and Royal Developments
• How Fort Wayne is pushing the envelope of innovation
• Collaboration between, developer, municipalities, and architects
• Navigating your capital stack and project funding 
• Breck's Project Highlight(s) of the week: Royal Houm & Royal Container

Show Notes

To learn more about Royal Developments head to their website here.

Follow along with Royal Developments on their Facebook and Instagram: @royaldevelops

Lean more about the HOME Program. 

Ready to move forward with your project? Contact us here and we will put you in contact with the right member of our team.

Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on new project releases, trainings, and more. 

We get asked all the time - should I build or should I buy? While we are not financial advisors, we believe that the pros of building outweigh the ones of buying. 

In this episode we sit down and discuss the pros and cons of building versus buying, and why making a decision ultimately comes down to timeline and the amount of control you want in the process. We also talk about the impact inspections have  and why some people are scared to build a new home. 

Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn: 

• Is it better to build or buy? 
• How timeline can impact your decision. 
• Stress that comes with bidding on houses. 
• Good and bad inspectors. 
• Project Highlight of the Week: Two Rivers House 

Ready to move forward with your project? Contact us here and we will put you in contact with the right member of our team.

Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on new project releases, trainings, and more. 

Kat Klingenberg is the executive director at Phius House Institute; a United States based organization that is working towards solving the climate crisis through sustainable building practices and materials. 

In this episode we sit down with Kat and talk about the important work Phius House is doing. Kat shares insight into the process of becoming Phius House certified, what it cost to build a Phius House or building, and how this style of building is helping to solve the climate crisis. 

Here's what you'll learn in this episode: 

• Kat Klingenberg and her role with Phius House.
• Implementing sustainable building. 
• Phius House certification isn't just for single family homes.
• Why developers are ideal candidates for Phius House.
• Project highlight of the week: Hayes Home. 

Link to full show notes.

Link to supplementary resources and episodes:

Passive House Institute -  Website and Instagram

Reimagining Multifamily Housing With Susan King of HED

The Real Cost of Building

Ready to move forward with your project? Contact us here and we will put you in contact with the right member of our team.

Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on new project releases, trainings, and more. 

Dreaming of building your own tiny home or cabin, but wondering exactly how much work it takes?

On this exciting episode we sit down with Sarah Victoria and Matt Ng of Our First Cabin, viral Instagram creators that build their own dream cabin in upstate New York.
 
They share their experience and lessons learned as first time builders who bought their building plans on the internet. 

Here's what you'll learn:

• Sarah and Matt's story and inspiration.
• Buying plans on the internet. 
• What's not included in online plans. 
• How much research you should be doing as a first time builder. 
• Building a traditional cabin with non traditional materials. 
• Project Highlight of the Week: Our First Cabin!

Full show notes

Make sure to follow Our First Cabin on Instagram and Youtube to stay up to date with all that Sarah and Matt are doing.

Supplementary episodes for today's conversation:

Buying Home Plans On The Internet: Who Can You Trust And What Is Legit

Why You Need An Architect (...Especially If You Think You Don't)

Launching Builder Ready Plans: Your Questions Answered

Ready to move forward with your project? Contact us here and we will put you in contact with the right member of our team.

Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on new project releases, trainings, and more. 

We often get asked by potential clients, if they can be their own general contractor. 

Our answer: Do you have previous building experience? 

In this episode we sit down and discuss when it is a good idea and not so good of an idea for clients to act as their own GC. We reveal the biggest challenges that people face when trying to be their own builder and why hiring a professional general contractor is the best option in most cases. 

Breck also shares insight to why he hired his own builder, despite having years of experience in the field. 

Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn: 

• Can you be your own GC?
• Why banks limit a client's flexibility. 
• What is a sworn statement and why you need it.
• The level of involvement a general contractor has in a project.
• Breck's project Highlight Of The Week: Blackridge Farms (coming soon)

Link to full show notes.

Learn more about the Cochrane Home here.

Ready to move forward with your project? Contact us here and we will put you in contact with the right member of our team.

Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on new project releases, trainings, and more.